REDD+ Fellows Castañeros – Education as a Priority in the Amazon

Sowing Opportunities for Future Generations

At Bosques Amazónicos (BAM), we believe that conserving a forest also means investing in the people who protect it. That is why, through the REDD+ Project Castañeros, we are promoting a scholarship program that aims to provide educational opportunities to the children and grandchildren of the chestnut-harvesting families participating in the project.

This year we welcome three new scholarship recipients—young people who embody commitment, hard work, and the deep bond that exists between communities and the bosques amazónicos.

Stories That Take Root Among the Brazil nut Trees

Saúl Córdova Delgado
20 years old | Forestry Engineering – National University of San Antonio Abad of Cusco (UNSAAC), main campus Madre de Dios

Ever since he was a child, Saúl has accompanied his family during the Brazil nut harvest at the family’s concession in Pariamarca, a place accessible only by river. That experience shaped his life and sparked his interest in pursuing a degree in forest management.

My family's concession is in Pariamarca; you have to travel there by river. Going there every year to help my family harvest Brazil nuts shaped me and prepared me to face life's challenges.

Today marks the start of a new career path aimed at contributing to the sustainable management of forest resources.

Saúl Vargas Jacinto
23 years old | Law and Political Science – National University of Madre de Dios (UNAMAD)

For Saúl, his mother’s Brazil nut concession means much more than just a source of income. It’s a place where, each season, he strengthens family bonds while helping with the Brazil nut harvest.

For me, my mom's tradition means spending time with my family every New Year's while I help with the Brazil nut harvest.

With his background in law and political science, he hopes to contribute to strengthening communities and protecting the region’s natural resources.

Flor Gutiérrez Moreno
18 years old | Nursing – National University of Madre de Dios (UNAMAD)

Flor’s dream of becoming a healthcare professional began thanks to the efforts of her family—and especially her grandmother, a participant in the REDD+ Project Castañeros.

Thanks to my grandmother, who is part of the REDD+ Project Castañeros, I will be able to achieve my goal of pursuing a college degree in nursing and contributing to the healthcare system in my region.

Its story shows how conservation also creates opportunities to improve the quality of life for future generations.

A program that transforms lives

The REDD+ Project Scholarship Program Castañeros continues to demonstrate that conservation can have positive impacts that extend beyond the forest.

To date, the program has produced two graduates:

• Linda Valencia, a graduate with a degree in Education, specializing in Mathematics.
• Kevin Quispe, a graduate in Forestry and Environmental Engineering.

In addition to facilitating access to higher education, the program has led to significant improvements in the well-being of its beneficiaries. Evaluations show that scholarship recipients reported an average increase of 3.5 points in their satisfaction with their education, compared to their level before receiving the scholarship. They also reported an average increase of 2.5 points in their overall life satisfaction.

Preserving the Forest, Building the Future

Each scholarship represents an investment in the future of the Amazon. Behind every student is a family of Brazil nut harvesters, a community, and a forest that finds new opportunities to continue being protected.

At BAM , we understand that conservation is not only measured in terms of protected hectares, but also in terms of the opportunities it creates for those who have dedicated their lives to caring for the forest.

Because when a community grows, the forest also has a brighter future.